Descent Into Madness
by Steeltalon
Summary: "Blood will rule the forest..." We all know how the story went when little Tiny ventured into the forest and ran into Tigerpaw…and we know that from that experience, Scourge was born. What if it wasn't the Twolegplace he escaped to…but ShadowClan? What if being taken in wasn't enough to sate the desire for revenge and the lust for blood? (Rating will change in later chapters!)
1. Allegiances

WARNING. This story is written by a woman who loves her gore. If you're squeamish, later chapters will not be for you.

Summary: _Past wrongs will be righted…and Blood will rule the forest…  
_We all know how the story went when little Tiny ventured into the forest and ran into Tigerpaw…and we know that from that experience, Scourge was born. What if it wasn't the Twolegplace he ran to…but ShadowClan? What if being taken in wasn't enough to sate the desire for revenge and the lust for blood?

So begins a reign of terror beyond even the likes of Brokenstar's time…

Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors. The idea just came to me. :P

(Pretty long) Author's Note: If anything strikes you guys as being wrong in the allegiances, I'm sorry. D: I'm trying to figure out the timeline of Yellowfang's Secret and where it fits in with the other super editions AND Scourge's story, so I can keep things straight. _

Also, I have Yellowfang's Secret, and nowhere are the exact mentors for Blackstar, Flintfang or Fernshade listed, so I've done the best I can with what info I have.

I may have listed them as apprentices too early, as the timeline on the Warriors wiki says Tiny ventures into the forest during winter, but there's a time jump to summer – about the beginning of fall, actually – after Yellowfang agrees to stay mates with Raggedpelt while being a medicine cat. That _is_ a time jump of about seven or eight months. So yes, I'm probably jumping the gun a little.

I'm aware I haven't listed any queens for ShadowClan, as I can't find any mention of specific mothers or kits before or after Raggedpelt is made deputy – aside from Lizardstripe and Nettlespot. Cloudpaw is Raggedpelt's apprentice by then, so Nettlespot returns to warrior duties; and Lizardstripe isn't mentioned as being pregnant until after we learn Yellowfang is. I could be wrong, but I've been nitpicking at this for a while; going through the books again and again, scratching out what I know are inconsistencies and double- and triple-checking family trees. Frankly, I'd like to get to the actual story now. XD

Now, this story's going to be following three different timelines all at once, to start; Bluestar's Prophecy, Crookedstar's Promise, and Yellowfang's Secret. I'm not going to try to cut to the other Clans – this story's focus is on Scourge. But I will take a bit longer to update it while I check events and facts and family trees. After I finish that storyline, it's likely I'll continue on up through The Darkest Hour.

TL; DR: I'm not sure what the hell I'm doing. Some things may be wrong and probably are. I'm starting yet another fanfic without finishing my other ones. I'm an ass. Let's get started!

**ShadowClan**

Leader

Cedarstar: very dark gray tom with a white belly

Deputy

Raggedpelt: dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes  
(Apprentice: Cloudpaw – thick-furred white tom with blue eyes)

Medicine Cat

Sagewhisker: white she-cat  
(Apprentice: Yellowfang – dark gray she-cat with a flattened face and orange eyes)

Warriors

Crowtail: black tabby she-cat  
(Apprentice: Clawpaw – brown tom)

Brackenfoot: pale ginger tom with dark ginger legs  
(Mate: Brightflower)

Archeye: gray tabby tom with black stripes and thick stripe over eye

Hollyflower: dark-gray-and-white she-cat

Mudclaw: gray tom with brown legs

Toadskip: dark brown tabby tom with white splashes and white legs

Nettlespot: white she-cat with ginger flecks

Mousewing: long-furred black tom

Deerleap: gray tabby she-cat with white legs

Amberleaf: dark orange she-cat with brown legs and ears  
(Apprentice: Fernpaw – tortoiseshell she-cat)

Finchflight: black-and-white tom

Blizzardwing: mottled white tom

Lizardstripe: pale brown tabby she-cat with white belly

Featherstorm: dark brown tabby she-cat

Brightflower: orange tabby she-cat

Scorchwind: ginger tabby tom  
(Apprentice: Blackpaw – white tom with black paws)

Newtspeck: black-and-ginger she-cat

Ashheart: pale gray she-cat

Rowanberry: cream-and-brown she-cat with amber eyes  
(Apprentice: Flintpaw – gray tom)

Nutwhisker: brown tom with amber eyes

Foxheart: bright ginger she-cat  
(Apprentice: Nightpaw – black tom)

Wolfstep: brown and white tabby tom with a torn ear

Frogtail: dark gray tom

Russetfur: dark ginger she-cat

Boulder: silver tabby tom

Queens

_none_

Elders

Littlebird: small ginger tabby she-cat

Lizardfang: light brown tabby tom with one hooked tooth

Stonetooth: thin gray tabby tom with long teeth that curve out from under his lip

**ThunderClan**

Leader

Sunstar: bright ginger tabby tom

Deputy

Tawnyspots: light gray tabby tom with amber eyes

Medicine Cat

Goosefeather: speckled gray tom with blue eyes  
(Apprentice: Featherwhisker – long-haired silver tom)

Warriors

Stormtail: blue-gray tom with blue eyes

Adderfang: mottled brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

Sparrowpelt: big, dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

Smallear: gray tom with very small ears and amber eyes

Thrushpelt: sandy-gray tom with white flash on his chest and green eyes

Fuzzypelt: black tom with fur that stands on end and yellow eyes

Windflight: gray tabby tom with pale green eyes

Speckletail: pale tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Leopardfoot: sleek black she-cat

Patchpelt: black-and-white tom

Dappletail: tortoiseshell she-cat

White-eye: pale gray she-cat, blind in one eye

Bluefur: blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes

Thistleclaw: gray and white tom  
(Apprentice: Tigerpaw – dark brown tabby tom)

Rosetail: light ginger tabby she-cat with a pinkish-orange tail

Lionheart: golden-brown tabby tom with thicker fur around his neck

Goldenflower: pale ginger she-cat

Queens

Robinwing: small, energetic brown she-cat with ginger patch on her chest and amber eyes (mother to Frostkit and Brindlekit)

Swiftbreeze: tabby-and-white she-cat with amber eyes (mother of Spottedkit, Redkit, and Willowkit)

Elders

Poppydawn: long-haired, dark red she-cat with a bushy tail and amber eyes

Weedwhisker: pale orange tom with yellow eyes

Mumblefoot: brown tom, slightly clumsy, with amber eyes

Larksong: tortoiseshell she-cat with pale green eyes

**RiverClan**

Leader

Hailstar: thick-pelted gray tom  
(Apprentice: Blackpaw – long-legged smoky black tom)

Deputy

Shellheart: dappled gray tom

Medicine Cat

Brambleberry: white she-cat with black-spotted fur

Warriors

Rippleclaw: black-and-silver tabby tom

Timberfur: brown tom

Mudfur: long-haired light brown tom

Owlfur: brown-and-white tom

Cedarpelt: brown tabby tom, stout and short-tailed

Lilystem: gray she-cat

Piketooth: skinny brown tabby tom with a narrow face and protruding canine teeth

Lakeshine: pretty, long-haired, gray-and-white she-cat

Shimmerpelt: night-black she-cat with glossy pelt

Rainflower: pale gray she-cat

Echomist: long-haired gray she-cat, fur tipped with white

Ottersplash: white-and-pale-ginger she-cat

Fallowtail: light brown she-cat with blue eyes

Whitefang: white tom with a tabby-striped tail and brown paws  
(Apprentice: Leopardpaw – unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat)

Softwing: white she-cat with tabby patches  
(Apprentice: Skypaw – pale brown tabby she-cat)

Beetlenose: broad-shouldered black tom  
(Apprentice: Reedpaw – brown tabby tom)

Voleclaw: gray tom

Petaldust: tortoiseshell she-cat

Oakheart: dark reddish-brown tom  
(Apprentice: Loudpaw – brown tom)

Crookedjaw: large light-colored tabby tom with a twisted jaw  
(Apprentice: Sedgepaw – brown tabby she-cat)

Willowbreeze: silver tabby she-cat

Graypool: dark gray she-cat with amber eyes

Queens

_none_

Elders

Troutclaw: gray tabby tom

Tanglewhisker: long-haired tabby tom with a thick, knotted pelt

Birdsong: tabby-and-white she-cat with ginger patches around her muzzle, flecked with gray

**WindClan**

Leader

Heatherstar: small, pinkish-gray she-cat with blue eyes

Deputy

Reedfeather: light brown tabby tom

Medicine Cat

Hawkheart: stone-gray tom with brown flecks

Warriors

Dawnstripe: pale gold tabby with creamy stripes  
(Apprentice: Tallpaw – black and white tom with a very long tail)

Redclaw: dark ginger tom  
(Apprentice: Shrewpaw)

Queens

_none_

Elders

Whiteberry: pure white tom


	2. Chapter 1

-0-0-0-

_"He who makes a beast out of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man…"_

-0-0-0-

**One**

_"I think the kittypet should be taught a lesson. One he'll remember."_

Fiery pain lanced through Tiny's body as the dark brown tabby tom lashed out with a massive paw and bowled him over, sending him sprawling into the snow. The round object he'd liked so much snapped off his collar, rolling off unnoticed to rest in the bushes somewhere. Tiny could feel his flank throbbing and warm blood oozing out of his wounds, and fear shot through him, making every hair on his pelt stand up.

The little black kitten opened his jaws to wail for help, but a moment later all the air was knocked out of his lungs as the tabby's weight slammed onto his shoulders. Long claws pierced his skin, seeming to reach straight to the bone, and Tiny screwed his eyes shut as he felt hot breath on the back of his neck. Vaguely, through a haze of pain and terror, he heard the tabby tom snarl, "Say goodbye, _kittypet_."

Just as those teeth started to clamp shut and Tiny begged internally for the end to be swift, a new voice yowled, "Stop, Tigerpaw! That's _enough_!"

The distraction was all he needed. Fuelled by fear, Tiny twisted and raked his claws over the tabby's nose. The thin skin split and a spurt of blood followed; Tigerpaw yowled in fury and reared back, letting Tiny scramble to his feet. His heart in his throat, the little black cat ran for his life. He hurt everywhere, it felt like, and it wasn't long before his lungs were burning. _Home. Gotta get home,_ he thought, not noticing in his panic that he was running in the wrong direction.

He didn't know how long he had been running for – just that the muscles in his legs were screaming for a break, and that he could barely get enough air – when he caught the same strong scent that the tabby cat and his companions had carried on their pelts. What if they knew he was here? What if Tigerpaw was with them? He'd never survive a second encounter. Tiny gave a nervous start as a branch creaked above him and scurried forward, keeping as low as possible.

The black kit's worst fears didn't come to be, however; he didn't run into any other cats. As the scent grew fainter again, Tiny grew aware of a new smell that almost overpowered it. A strangely familiar scent that was so repulsive, it made him gag and forget his fear. He looked around, realizing for the first time how dark it was getting. _Mama will be getting worried,_ he thought. _I have to get home._

Pain stabbed his heart when he remembered what his sister, Ruby, had told him before he'd run away – that kittens who were unwanted by Twolegs got thrown in the river. Tiny flattened his ears as a wave of sorrow crashed over him. _I…I don't have a home anymore…and even if I did, I don't know where I am…I don't know how to get back._ A gust of cold wind ruffled the fur around his collar and made him shiver. He turned to stare in the direction he'd come from, and imagined he could see the glare of amber eyes staring back at him. His voice sounded small and broken to his own ears as he whispered, "Goodbye, mama…"

With night falling and the calls of unfamiliar creatures beginning to echo through the trees, Tiny began looking for a place he could spend the night. It wasn't long before he found what seemed to be a big hole. The little black kit opened his eyes wide in an attempt to see inside, sniffed deeply, and pricked his ears. Was it empty? It smelled like Twolegplace – and somehow dank and musty…but there didn't seem to be anything inside.

A chilly breeze made him shiver. This was no basket, but it was the closest to warm he was going to get tonight. Too tired to keep looking, Tiny stepped into the hole and curled up against a cold surface, closing his eyes. Sleep came quickly to the tiny cat, though it was filled with pain and fear, and the fierce glare of hostile amber eyes.

-0-0-0-

The sun did little to relieve the aches in Tiny's body the next morning. His eyes opened slowly and blinked a few times, adjusting to the unnaturally bright light. For a moment he was confused – where was he?

Then the previous day came rushing back, along with the pain of his injuries.

Tiny gave a small whimper at the ache in his shoulders as he twisted to nose his side gently. The scratches didn't feel or look deep, but they hurt. He licked uncertainly at his shoulder before he dared try to get to his paws. He felt stiff, as if every muscle were protesting at having to move. But he couldn't stay here. He had to find a better place to spend the next night, and now that it was light, he had a better chance of spotting something. He turned his back on the forest, not wanting to run into Tigerpaw again, and cautiously padded further into the hole. It turned out to be a tunnel that led to a different-looking section of the forest.

Tiny stepped out of the stone hole, and looked down in surprise when something crunched softly under his small paw. The ground was blanketed in white; the sunlight was reflecting off of it, causing the bright glare that had woken him up. The black kitten bent down to sniff the unfamiliar substance, and found it to be cold when he poked it experimentally with his nose. Was this the "snow" that his mother had often talked about?

If it was, it was a bad sign. _Mama always said that kittens should stay inside when it snows,_ Tiny thought. _She said it's too cold for us._ He lifted his head and took a few paces forward, lifting his tail. _Well, I don't want to be around when it snows again!_ The black kit opened his jaws and let out a loud, piteous mewl.

He didn't know how long he spent, wandering back and forth, calling for help, but his stomach had been growling for a while and he was shivering violently by the time a deep voice drawled, "So this is the little scrap that's been making all the noise. You have quite a big voice, for one so small."

Tiny jumped and spun to face the speaker, and was faced with what looked like a bigger version of the cat that had attacked him. The little kitten crouched instinctively, nervous. These cats didn't look any less mean and battle-hardened than the others he'd run into had.

"A lost kittypet?" a gray she-cat standing next to the big tabby asked. She sounded puzzled. "What's he doing so far from Twolegplace?"

"I – I wanted to see what the f-forest was like," Tiny stammered. He resisted the urge to flinch as the she-cat sniffed him. "B-but I…I was attacked. Back there." He turned to point with his nose.

The brown tabby tom looked at him thoughtfully. Tiny wasn't sure he liked the way his amber eyes glittered. "I'm not surprised," he meowed. "That's ThunderClan territory. They've been jumpier than fleas over kittypets coming onto their territory lately."

"But we're being rude," the gray she-cat mewed. "We haven't introduced ourselves. This is Raggedpelt, and my name's Ashheart. What's yours, little one?"

"My mama calls me Tiny," the black kitten mewed. Tiny decided he _did_ like Ashheart – she had a gentle voice, and he didn't resist when she sniffed at his injured flank.

Raggedpelt cut in, "And where is your mother?"

Tiny flattened his ears sadly, looking down at his paws. "I…don't know. I'm lost," he admitted in a small voice. "And even if I weren't, I can't go back…"

Ashheart frowned. "Why?"

"They'll throw me in the river if I do," Tiny mewled. There was a long silence, in which Raggedpelt met Ashheart's pleading look with an icy stare. When she further widened her eyes, he gave a long sigh.

"Well, we'll all freeze to death if we stand around chatting," the brown tom meowed. "Take the kit back to camp, Ashheart, and send Finchflight and Blizzardwing to meet me here." He muttered something Tiny didn't catch, and Ashheart rolled her eyes as she bent her neck to pick the kit up.

"I can walk," Tiny protested as he was lifted, waving his little paws in protest.

The gray she-cat purred, amused, but didn't respond as she trotted off, leaving Raggedpelt to wonder what he'd gotten himself into.


	3. Chapter 2

-0-0-0-

"_Don't need a reason, don't need a right; there ain't nothing I'd rather do."_

-0-0-0-

**Two**

Tiny sulked in silence while Ashheart carried him. He was _more_ than capable of walking! He was so absorbed in thinking about how unfair this was that he hardly noticed when the gray she-cat set him down and meowed, "We're here."

The black kitten pricked his ears and looked around curiously, meeting several equally curious stares. He felt his whiskers twitch nervously, but lifted his chin and squared his small shoulders, trying not to seem afraid. From the amused glances some of the cats shot their companions, he guessed he wasn't doing a good job, though…

Ashheart nudged him. "We need to see Cedarstar," she mewed. "He's the leader of ShadowClan – our Clan. His den's under that big oak." She pointed with her muzzle.

Tiny gave her a curious look. "Why do we need to see him?" he asked.

"So we can decide what we're going to do with you."

The kit felt his eyes widen. "What…you're going to do with me?" he echoed nervously, edging away from her a pace or two. "You don't mean those stories about wild cats are true, do you?"

The she-cat frowned, puzzled, and meowed, "What stories?"

"Some cats say you eat kittens who wander away from their mothers," Tiny squeaked, "and you sharpen your claws on the bones."

Ashheart broke into a loud, amused purr, drawing more curious looks. It was several moments before she could calm down enough to meow, "No, little one, that's not true. We need to figure out how to get you home."

"…Oh," Tiny mewed, embarrassed now. He gave his chest fur a couple of licks and let her nudge him toward the den under the oak's roots.

"I'll be there shortly," the gray she-cat meowed reassuringly, stopping for a moment to speak to a mottled white tom. Tiny glanced back before he entered the den, uncertain, and jumped when a tom's voice called softly from inside.

"I can smell you out there. Come in, young one."

Tiny stepped inside, opening his eyes wide in an attempt to adjust to the sudden darkness. At the far side of the den, a dark gray tom crouched, his white chest the only thing setting him apart from the shadows. His gaze was curious as he studied the little kit. "What's your name, kit?" he meowed, tucking his paws under him more comfortably.

"Tiny," mewed the kitten, trying to sound braver than he felt, but unable to stop his ears from twitching nervously. "What's yours?"

The gray tom replied, "I'm Cedarstar, Tiny." Cedarstar cocked his head curiously, studying the kitten. "Tell me, how is it you came to be here?"

"Raggedpelt and I found him while we were patrolling the ThunderClan border," Ashheart meowed as she sat down, motioning for Tiny to do the same. "He's lost and wounded." When Cedarstar turned to her, ears pricked, she added, "A ThunderClan patrol must have found him, because he said he was attacked."

"Attacking kits," Cedarstar snorted, shaking his head. "Next thing you know, ThunderClan will be making friends with dogs."

Tiny's stomach growled loudly, reminding him that he hadn't eaten since the previous day. He flattened his ears, embarrassed, as the two Clan cats shot him faintly amused glances. "Shall I take him to see Sagewhisker?" Ashheart asked.

Cedarstar nodded. "Make sure he gets something to eat, too," the leader meowed. As Tiny and Ashheart turned to leave, he added, "Oh, and send Raggedpelt in to see me when he gets back from his patrol."

"I will." Ashheart quickly caught up to Tiny, who had stopped just outside when he realized she wasn't with him, and gave the kit a quick lick on the ear. "Let's get those scratches taken care of."

They entered yet another den, and the kit's shoulders and flank were carefully checked. Tiny couldn't stop himself from flinching as the white she-cat – Sagewhisker, he reminded himself – licked at his sore shoulders with her rough tongue. "I know it hurts," she meowed sympathetically, "but these will hurt a lot worse if they get infected."

Another gray she-cat, darker gray than Ashheart and with a face that looked somewhat flattened, padded up with a bundle of leaves in her mouth and set them down beside Sagewhisker. "He's dealing with those wounds better than the apprentices handle a thorn in their paw," she remarked, getting a purr of amusement from the other she-cat.

A pang of envy suddenly stabbed Tiny, even sharper than Tigerpaw's claws. It hadn't escaped his notice that all of the wild cats he'd met here had something he'd never had – close friendships. His siblings had seen him as an annoyance, and his mother…seemed to favor them.

Would he always just be in the background?

-0-0-0-

After he'd been shown around camp and introduced to a few cats, Tiny ended up sticking close to Ashheart. He was listening to her explain how the Clan worked – what Cedarstar did, what warriors did, how they hunted for their own food and defended their borders – when a shadow fell over him. He looked up to see Cedarstar and Raggedpelt; the brown tabby had a funny look on his face.

"Tiny," Cedarstar meowed, "I'd like to offer you a place in the Clan."

The black kitten gaped up at the dark gray leader, unable to form an answer. Ashheart purred and reached out with one paw to gently close his mouth.

The ShadowClan leader chuckled and went on, "I realize it's no easy decision, so I'll give you a half-moon to stay here, and see for yourself if you'd like to live with us. You may find Clan life to your liking."

"I – I…Th-thank you," Tiny stammered, unable to grasp what he'd just been offered. Stay here? With no Socks or Ruby to tease him and say they didn't like him?

"You can share a den with the apprentices for now," Raggedpelt meowed. "If at the end of the half-moon you decide you prefer kittypet life, we'll take you home." The strange look crossed his face again; Tiny tried to put a word to it. Dislike? Disgust? No, it wasn't quite either of those, but he couldn't for the life of him identify what it was.

"Thank you," Tiny mewed again, dipping his head to the two older toms. "I…I would like to stay here, for a little while at least, if you're sure that's okay." He looked up as he spoke, looking at the she-cat beside him. Ashheart gave him an encouraging nod.

Maybe…he didn't have to live his life being overshadowed by his siblings. He could be whoever he wanted to be, here.

The thought was enough to let hope tentatively unfold and take root in his heart.


End file.
